Tag: Leeds UK

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Last month, I had written about the Leeds, UK-based indie rock/psych rock trio The Boxing, and as you may recall, since their formation in 2014, the trio comprised of  Harrison Warke (vocals, guitar), Henry Chatham (bass) and Charlie Webb (drums) quickly asserted themselves as part of their hometown’s growing, contemporary indie rock and psych rock scenes; in fact, they’ve already drawn some comparisons to the likes of W.H. Lung, Eagulls and JOVM mainstays The Vryll Society.

 

“One by One,” which I wrote about last month, was a brooding track featuring swirling and shimmering guitar chords and a propulsive, motoric groove, led by a sinuous bass line and steady drumming paired with a soaring hook and a whispered croon reminiscent of The Horrors’ Faris Badwan, complete with a studio sheen. And as the band’s Harrison Warke explained in press notes “One by One” was an elaboration of the sound they developed across their first batch of singles, as it was the first single they recorded in a proper, professional studio. Naturally, the studio recording process  gave the members of the band the freedom and ability to experiment and flesh out the overall arrangement in a way that they were unable to do before.

“Heart of Me,” is essentially the B-side track to “One by One” and while continuing in a similar vein as its lead single, complete with shimmering guitar chords, the track manages to be a foil to its lead single while being able to stand on its own. And while nodding at slow-burning, moody and stormy shoegaze, the track possesses a creepy, existential dread as its core.

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Last month, I wrote about  the Leeds, UK-based shoegazer quintet Colour of Spring and their 120 Minutes-era MTV-like single “Echoes,” a single about “losing the innocence of youth..” The up-and-coming British band, which is comprised of Shane Hunter (vocals, guitar), Robin Deione (guitar), Tom Gregory (bass), Mark Rochman (drums) and Charlie Addison (keys) have receive praise from NME and The Line of Best Fit for a sound that has been compared favorably to Wild Nothing,  Beach Fossils and others. Continuing to build on the buzz they’ve been receiving both in their homeland and elsewhere — including this site — the band has released their latest single “Love,” a towering and swirling bit of classic-leaning shoegaze that while seemingly drawing from RIDE and A Storm in Heaven-era The Verve, manages to also nod at Finelines-era My Vitriol.

As the band’s Shane Hunter explains, “‘Love’ is about the initial prospect of being in love, where everything is confusing, awkward and exciting all at the same time. You’re learning someone else and they’re learning you, all of your idiosyncrasies that you daren’t share with anyone else. There’s so many prominent, strong emotions that it can get really overwhelming. You don’t want to to blow it being your usual stupid self!” And as a result, the song feels like the anxious self-talk of someone trying to psych themselves out and not try to fuck something up — but on a certain level, they’re human and they’ll inevitably find a way to fuck it all up and do it again, as we all do at some point.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Since their formation in early 2014, the Leeds, UK-based indie rock/psych rock trio The Boxing, comprised of Harrison Warke (vocals, guitar), Henry Chatham (bass) and Charlie Webb (drums), have quickly asserted themselves as part of their hometown’s burgeoning, contemporary indie rock and psych rock scenes, and they’ve already drawn some comparisons to the likes of W.H. Lung, Eagulls and JOVM mainstays The Vryll Society.

The Leeds-based psych rock trio’s latest single “One by One” is a brooding track featuring swirling and shimmering guitar chords, a propulsive motorik groove, led by a sinuous bass line and steady drumming paired with a soaring hook and a whispered croon reminiscent of The Horrors‘ Faris Badwan — and while possessing a modern production sheen, the song as the band’s Harrison Warke explains is an elaboration of their first couple of singles, as it’s the first single that they’ve recorded in a proper studio. Naturally, the studio recording process  gave the members of the band the freedom and ability to experiment and flesh out the overall arrangement in a way that they were unable to do before. And interestingly enough, while the song possesses a contemporary studio sheen, it manages to also nod at the sound of classic shoegaze and 4AD Records‘ early days — while thematically speaking, focusing on “depression and the culture of silence around it,” as Warke explained in press notes; in fact, the song manages to accurately capture the song’s narrator’s free-fall into a deeply overwhelming and crippling depression.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Comprised of Shane Hunter (vocals, guitar), Robin Deione (guitar), Tom Gregory (bass), Mark Rochman (drums) and Charlie Addison (keys), the Leeds, UK-based shoegazer quintet Colour of Spring quickly received praise from the likes of NME and The Line of Best Fit for a sound that has been compared favorably to Wild Nothing and Beach Fossils — although the band’s latest single, the slow-burning and moody “Echoes” off the Leeds-based quintet’s soon-to-be released,  self-titled EP nods at The Jesus and Mary Chain, Sonic Youth and others, as well as 120 Minutes-era MTV alt rock, thanks in part to its quiet, loud, quiet song structure, and swirling guitar work punctuated with an rousingly anthemic hook. But just underneath the surface is a bittersweet nostalgia that frequently comes about as you get older — and further away from your seemingly simple youth. As the band’s Tom Gregory explains in press notes, “‘Echoes’ is about losing the innocence of youth. As you enter your teenage years, you’re told to grow up and take responsibility and some of the beauty of childhood is gone. We probably spend a lot of time as adults trying to regain that side  just act we lose. ‘Echoes’ is about how deal with this in our funny way.”

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Comprised of Derbyshire, UK-born Leeds, UK-based producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alex, who grew up on punk rock and ska and Leeds-born and-based singer/songwriter Harrison, who’s largely influenced by Bon Iver, Radiohead and Thom Yorke, the Leeds, UK-based electro pop production and artist duo Krrum can trace its origin to when the duo met while they were studying at the Leeds School of Music.  Within a short period time, the duo has seen a rapidly growing profile — the duo’s has had work land at number 1 on Spotify’s Viral Chart, Hype Machine and Shazam, received airplay on BBC Radio 1 and Beats 1, collaborated with salute and Lao Ra, and have performed at last year’s Pitchfork Paris Festival.

The Leeds-based duo’s first single of 2017, “Moon” pairs enormous, tweeter and woofer rock beats, stuttering and glitchy electronics, a soaring hook, a chopped up and distorted vocal sample, and Harrison’s plaintive and soulful vocals in a song that the duo says “deals with the the ritual of wanting to pursue a relationship with someone, but not wanting to jump the gun and ruin it. It’s an uncomfortable place to be because you have you control and your’e probably gonna mess it gallup, like you always do.” And as a result, the song possesses an aching vulnerability and longing, but an underlying fatalism while simultaneously being radio and dance floor friendly.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Currently comprised of co-founding members Huw Edwards (lead vocals, guitar) and Jacob Price (synths and samplers), along with Seb Knee-Wright (guitar), Dan Comlay (bass) and Tom Higham (drums), the Leeds-based indie rock quintet KOYO‘s sound draws from several varied sources — including 90s grunge and alt rock, Edwards’ and Price’s parents’ classic rock and prog rock-heavy record collections. Although recently the band has started to incorporate a variety of electronica and post-rock such as Floating Points, JOVM mainstays Mogwai and Brian Eno‘s influential ambient soundtracks, and as a result the band expanded to a quintet to fully flesh out their sound to incorporate their expanding influences and sonic palette. Naturally, the band’s forthcoming full-length debut is slated for release later this year will reportedly mesh psych rock, prog rock and ambient electronic in a way that will remind listeners of Tame Impala, Pink Floyd, Yes and Radiohead — but with a decidedly modern turn, as you’ll hear on the atmospheric, moody and slow-burning “Tetrochromat,” the album title track off the band’s forthcoming debut, Tetrochromat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Audio by William Ruben Helms

Featuring primary and founding members Ryan Needham and Liza Violet, along with a rotating cast of friends, collaborators and others, the Leeds, UK-based indie rock band Menace Beach received both national and international attention with the release of their full-length debut Ratworld and its follow-up Super Transporterreum EP — both of which were praised for an off-kilter, buzzing and fucked up take on 90s rock. The band’s forthcoming sophomore effort Lemon Memory was written in  Ibiza and recorded in Sheffield, UK with Russ Orton, who’s worked with M.I.A., Arctic Monkeys and The Fall and the album was reportedly written as a way to lift a citrus-based curse that the band’s primary duo believe was placed on their house — yes, the band does believe this — as well as a way for them to forge their own sound and identity.

Now as you may remember last month, I had written about Lemon Memory‘s first single “Give Blood,” an anthemic, scuzzy power chord and thundering drum-based single in which Needham and Violet sing about death in an ironically detached tone — while nodding at Blur and psych rock. The album’s second and latest single “Suck It Out” maintains the anthemic hooks the band is known for, while being the most psych rock-leaning song the band has released to date as twisting and turning guitar chords, played through gentle amounts of reverb, thundering drumming and a propulsive bass line are paired with Needham’s vocals singing with a bratty and nasal snarl.

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Featuring primary and founding members Ryan Needham and Liza Violet, along with a rotating cast of friends, collaborators and others, the Leeds, UK-based indie rock band Menace Beach received both national and international attention with the release of their full-length debut Ratworld and its follow-up Super Transporterreum EP — both of which were praised for an off-kilter, buzzing and fucked up take on 90s rock. Now, if you had been frequenting this site last year, you may recall that I wrote about “Ghoul Power,” the first single off Super Transporterreum EP, a song that tales a story about a pocket-sized, alien thou, who soaks up your darkness and anxieties –but after hanging out with the members of Menace Beach, who take him to way too many parties and shows, the alien winds up as a pale, sweaty  mess. Sonically, the song seemed to draw from Pixies, The Breeders and L7 while evoking a lurching fucked up, nauseating haze.

Written while in Ibiza and recorded in Sheffield, UK with Russ Orton, who’s worked with M.I.A., Arctic Monkeys and The Fall, the band’s forthcoming sophomore effort Lemon Memory was partially written as a way to lift a citrus-based curse that the band’s primary duo believe was placed on their house and as a way for them to forge their own sound and identity. The album’s latest single “Give Blood” begins with a couple of false starts before noisily chugging along in earnest with layers of scuzzy power chords fed through effects pedals and tons of feedback, propulsive and thundering drumming and an anthemic hook in which Needham and Violet sing about death — all while sounding as though the song were inspired by Blur and psych rock.

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Team Picture is a Leeds, UK-based indie rock quintet, who have started to receive attention from the likes of major blogs such as DIY Mag and The Line of Best Fit. And adding to a growing national profile, the band has opened for Kagoule and The Orielles and others.  The band’s third and latest single “Potpourri Headache” will further cement the Leeds-based quintet’s reputation for crafting lush and shimmering, shoegaze-leaning indie rock in which the band pairs ethereal vocals with propulsive drumming, shimmering guitar chords played through effects pedals, and equally ethereal synthesizers. In some way, the band’s sound manages to channel both the classic 4AD Records sound and A Storm in Heaven-era The Verve.

 

 

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: The Surreal Animated and Hyper Aggressive Visuals for Cowtown’s “Tweak”

Clocking in at 92 seconds, Paranormal Romance’s second and latest single “Tweak” sounds as though it were indebted to the Ramones and 90s alt rock, as the the trio pairs propulsive and thundering drumming with blistering power chords and an anthemic and infectious “oh oh oh” at the hook that you can imagine a crowded and sweaty bunch of kids yelling lustily while moshing — and with a youthful abandon.

The recently released animated video by Molly Kaplan pokes fun at cartoons, the relentless barrage of commercials we’re inundated with on a regular basis — but with neon bright colors and a surreal sense of humor.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

At the end of last month, I wrote about the Leeds, UK-based indie rock/post-punk trio Cowtown. Comprised of David Michale Shields (drums), Hilary Knott (bass, keys and vocals) and Johnathan Nash (guitar,vocals), the British trio have over the course of three full-length albums have developed a reputation for  angular, super caffeinated post-punk that draws from Gang of Four, DEVO, Talking Heads, much like “Motivational Speaker,” the first single off the band’s forthcoming album Paranormal Romance slated for an August 19, 2016 release through Athens, GA-based HHBTM Records in the US and Sheffield, UK-based label Audacious Art Experiment.

Clocking in at 92 seconds, Paranormal Romance‘s second and latest single “Tweak” sounds as though it were indebted to the Ramones and 90s alt rock, as the the trio pairs propulsive and thundering drumming with blistering power chords and an anthemic and infectious “oh oh oh” at the hook that you can imagine a crowded and sweaty bunch of kids yelling lustily while moshing — and with a youthful abandon.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Leeds, UK-based psych rock/shoegaze quartet Chaika have developed a national profile across the UK for an incredibly anthemic, arena rock-friendly version of shoegaze that sounds as though it’s indebted to Oasis, Kasabian and The Verve. And as you’ll hear on the band’s latest single “Quietness,” they eschew familiar and recognizable songwriting structures: the song is divided into three clear sections loosely held together by feedback and effects laden guitar chords paired with a propulsive motorik-like groove with the first section being an anthemic and urgent with slashing guitar chords and punchy vocals that ends with an explosive burst of cacophonous feedback that fades into a slow-burning and swaggering, bluesy psychedelic section propelled forward by four-on-the-floor drumming.

Interestingly, as the band explains in press notes, the song was written as a rumination on the creative process and was written in two sleepless night. The first section of the song focuses on creative inertia and writer’s block as fractured and unfinished thoughts are repeated and revised and repeated  to exceeding frustration and desperation. In fact, the song’s narrator seems to about ready to give up with the whole thing — until the second section section which deals with the sudden and overwhelming breakthrough in which as the band says “time bends for reality to warp and become illusion.” In any case, the song manages to evoke the frustration and joy of the creative process in a way that’s uncanny and familiar — and with power chords and feedback.

 

 

 

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

Over the past two years or so, Vancouver, BC-based producer, electronic music artist, Pat Lok has quickly built an international profile. Lok’s 2013 remixes of Cashmere Cat and Justin Timberlake, along with his own original single “Remember” received BBC Radio One airplay – and an AlunaGeorge bootleg, which was praised by the renowned electronic act received over 300,000 plays. Original singles like “Move Slow” and “Same Hearts” were released to critical praise from the likes of Vice’s THUMP and iTunes — and at at one point, the Canadian electronic music artist received over 1 million Soundcloud plays. Adding to a growing international profile, Lok has played clubs across Canada, Western Europe, Mexico, Columbia and the US.

Lok has been rather prolific this year, releasing a number of high profile singles that have captured the attention of this site and other blogs — and he ends the year with the release of “Your Lips” feat. Dirty Radio, a single that has seen airplay from BBC Radio 1Xtra, as well as spins by a number of renowned DJs including Tensnake, Moon Boots, Goldroom, Just Kiddin, Nick Catchdubs and others. And when you hear the song, you’ll see why it’s received such attention early on as the song pairs layers of cascading synths and skittering drum programming with Dirty Radio’s sultry vocals to create a song that possesses a seductive and dance-floor ready groove — while nodding to synth pop and R&B. Sonically, the song reminds me a little bit of a house music-version of Michael Jackson‘s “I Can’t Let Her Get Away.”

The Vancouver, BC-based producer and electronic music artist recently announced the release of the “Your Lips” remix package, which features remixes from Dutch producer Tony Tritone, Leeds, UK-based artist Crvvcks and renowned Chicago-based duo Christian Rich.  The Tony Tritone remix (below) retains the soulful vocals but pairs them with hard hitting drum and bass and atmospheric synths to give the song an airy and  funky soul-leaning feel that makes the song sound as though it were drawing from Dam-Funk and 80s synth R&B — all while remaining dance-floor friendly.

 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Introducing the Atmospheric and Dramatic Sound of Leeds, UK’s Actor

With the release of their first two singles “Feline” and “Swim,” the Leeds, UK-based electro pop trio Actor, comprised of singer/songwriter Louisa Osborn, producer Chris Mulligan and drummer Ste Anderson received national attention as blogs […]

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

New Audio: Menace Beach’s Latest Single “Ghoul Power” Channels 90s Grunge Rock

With the release of their debut full-length effort, Ratworld earlier this year, the Leeds, UK-based quintet Menace Beach, comprised of Ryan Needham, Liza Violet, Matt Spalding, Nestor Matthews and Nick Chantler received international attention for what has been described as channelling grunge/alternative’s […]